When workers past retirement age can’t afford to retire – that’s one thing. When they can, and just don’t want to – that’s trickier.

Squishy dumplings are having a moment. But their viral success is not JUST the market meeting our desire to squeeze something cute. We have the story of what this little dumpling teaches us about how to make a viral hit and how to manufacture it, without getting left holding the bag

We are looking to talk with folks who may want to leave their current job but are staying for the health insurance only. Does that sound like you or someone you know? Email your story to indicator@npr.org and we may reach out.

Americans eat billions of pounds of lettuce every year. But it wasn't always this popular. On today's show: How the rise of Big Lettuce changed how we eat vegetables. And maybe how risky it is to eat them.

Fast kicking! Low scoring! And ties? You bet! Having the World Cup come to town has offered a golden opportunity to MLS. This episode: Can top-tier men’s professional soccer in the U.S and Canada use this moment to create a World Cup bump for MLS?

Can World Cup mania grow MLS in the U.S.? : Planet Money

As the World Cup comes to a close, so does a massive real-time experiment happening just around the edges. Major League Soccer – the top men’s professional soccer league in the U.S. and Canada – has…

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Are you working in the U.S. under a Temporary Protected Status that is about to expire? Do you employ workers with expiring TPS status? We'd like to hear from you for a potential story. Email: indicator@npr.org.

The secondhand luxury goods market has exploded. But how can you tell if it’s a genuine LV bag or Hermès scarf? Some online resellers say authentication is the answer, but at least one luxury brand disagrees. buff.ly/uV8Z2yT

George E. Johnson passed away Monday morning. He founded Johnson Products Company, and was the maker of Afro Sheen, the iconic Black hair product. We spoke to him earlier this year about his role in turning the Black haircare industry into what is now a multi-billion-dollar industry.

How Black hair care grew Black power : Planet Money

The Afro is one of the most iconic hairstyles of the last century. And one of its main ingredients was a hair product – Afro Sheen. But Afro Sheen did so much more than make Black afros shine. It was…

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Are you delaying retirement? Do you feel pressured to retire? Or are you a younger worker? Are you getting chances to move up the ladder? Are you stuck? We want to hear from workers of all ages about age in the workplace. Email planetmoney@npr.org with the subject line "Age in the Workplace - BSky"

There's a perfect strategy for taking penalty kicks in soccer … according to game theory. And studying this strategy actually changed how economists think about game theory itself. That's our latest episode. h/t @soccernomicspod.bsky.social buff.ly/eSFrcBX

There’s a new plan to lower the cost of graduate school. Starting today, July 1st, the Department of Education — the biggest lender —is capping how much it’s willing to loan graduate students. You read that right. To reduce the burden of school…the plan is to give less money to student borrowers.

Can the Trump administration make college cheaper? : Planet Money

Will limiting how much students can borrow force schools to lower their prices? The Department of Education thinks so. It has a new plan to bring down tuition costs. Starting today, July 1st, it’s…

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In the early 90’s, a company called General Magic designed, created and made a portable device not unlike a smartphone. But it never caught on. On today’s show, why General Magic failed. buff.ly/uCwbXyf

We almost had a smartphone in the 90s. Why did it fail? : Planet Money

In the early 90’s, a company called General Magic began working on a portable device that would allow people to check email, make phone calls, even play games. It was basically a smartphone. But it…

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Prediction markets are everywhere today— but the idea is centuries old. In this episode from our friends at Throughline, we trace the history of prediction markets, from wagers on popes and presidents to today's forecasting platforms. buff.ly/EqGVwHz

What if the real monster in the Alien movies is… a single employer with unchecked power! This week, we watch Alien with labor economist Arin Dube and sit down with Fede Álvarez, who directed and co-wrote arguably the most econ-centered Alien movie to date.

When you think of spy stories, you probably imagine car chases and shootouts. But some of the biggest spy operations happen on computers. Today, we dive into Stuxnet and the lesser-known Fast16, and what they reveal about our trust in computers.

Can the government really stop you from cutting down your own tree? Hundreds of towns and cities have now passed laws to protect neighborhood trees — even the trees in people’s backyards. A few years ago, one of those laws triggered a constitutional showdown.

One reason the $70 billion supplement industry is set to double in the next seven years? Lax regulation. On today's show, we tell the story of a century-long battle between the U.S. government and … you, the people, blinded by your love of a magic pill. buff.ly/z138jnz

Three Wetzel’s Pretzels all within walking distance? How can that be profitable??? On our latest ep, a collab with @hyperfixedpod.bsky.social , we follow the dough to the top to uncover the economic pretzel logic playing out in malls and transit hubs around the country buff.ly/YFL6UTT

99% of the chemicals in your food did not go through FDA review. Food and chemical makers instead used a loophole known as GRAS to bypass the FDA. And sometimes new, untested chemicals enter the market and cause a lot of trouble. buff.ly/f20n4WN

Applying for a green card? We want to understand how the new USCIS on "adjustment of status" is affecting you. Tell us a bit about yourself and how we may reach you. We will not use any information without your permission. Email: indicator@npr.org or Signal: AdrianMa.10

On today’s show, a collaboration with Tax Notes, we listen in on the secret tapes that show how the wealthiest Americans avoid taxes.

The leaked tapes that show how the rich avoid taxes : Planet Money

Tax avoidance -- that is, legally reducing your tax bill -- is as American as apple pie. But the line between tax avoidance and tax evasion is often a grey one. On today’s show, a collaboration with…

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There are now businesses to certify your work as human-generated. @darianwoods.bsky.social profiles one and subjects The Indicator to the "H" test to prove we are not AI slop machines. lnk.to/q1KNPAjtWE

It's come to this: Human certification in the age of AI slop : The Indicator from Planet Money

Go to It's come to this: Human certification in the age of AI slop : The Indicator from Planet Money.

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Jerome Powell’s term would have been eventful even if it were not for Trump. A pandemic, inflation climbing to 9% and going down to 2.3%. But the pressure from President Trump has entered Powell’s tenure into a category of its own when it comes to attempts on Fed Independence.

How does OPEC work? Where did the cartel come from, how does it affect global oil prices, and what does it mean that the United Arab Emirates is leaving? More on the latest Planet Money.

The secret meeting that launched OPEC : Planet Money

Recently, a listener wrote in with a question about OPEC and oil prices. She was prepping for a camping trip… thinking about how much it costs to fill up her diesel-guzzling camper van at the…

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When the WNBA players' contract came up for renewal, they had a once in a generation opportunity to change the future of women’s basketball. We hear a minute by minute account of what it’s like for the players doing high-stakes bargaining.

Diary of a WNBA negotiator : Planet Money

Today the WNBA season tips off, but Dallas Wings veteran forward Alysha Clark has already won a high-stakes competition. She – and a Nobel Prize winning economist – were on the team that negotiated a…

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You can sign up for The Indicator's new (FREE) weekly newsletter authored by our very @cooperkatzmckim.bsky.social at this link. Promise it's worth it: www.npr.org/newsletter/i...

Today's Indicator newsletter is OUT. We cover: 🤖 How Chinese AI might actually help inequality 💼 How a unique legal strategy enables five subscribers to take on the Paramount+ merger ⚓ What alternatives exist for the Strait of Hormuz @planetmoney.bsky.social

The financial red flags that show up for dementia patients

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How do books make it to best seller lists? Reader, it’s not a straightforward answer. On our latest episode: we dive into the secret ways authors have tried to hack their way onto these lists. And, we find out: can we make the Planet Money book a best seller?

Spirit Airlines isn’t in trouble because of high fuel costs. It’s due to a canny strategy from bigger airlines to beat them at their own game. It’s a lesson in how to use size as an advantage, market segmentation, and what causes loyalty.

What Spirit Airlines’ rise and fall tells us about the future of cheap flights : Planet Money

It’s way more than fuel costs that pushed Spirit Airlines to the brink of liquidation and led President Trump to muse about “buying” them. Many low cost airlines are struggling due to a canny and…

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Love The Indicator and need more numbers from the news explained to you? My colleague @cooperkatzmckim.bsky.social has launched a brilliant companion newsletter that will arrive in your inbox weekly if you sign up here: npr.org/indicatornewsletter